While being tossed around by the waves of life, did you ever wonder: why does the wind keep shifting, crashing my ship into the rocks?  I’ve endured some big crashes which resulted in having to rebuild then take a new direction. Now I see the value of learning a new skill set on every leg of the journey. The common thread throughout was a calling to understand human nature well enough to be able to translate the complex into the simple --for children to take into their hearts and minds. I have written many songs for children and their families over four years. Music ignites a resonance of emotion which then carries lyrics deep into memory. Truth be told, I have clear childhood memories of hoping that songs would give me the answers to life! Some did hit home and are with me still today; I can feel them in the currents. Maybe now I’m trying to write songs with the big answers – the ones my little poetic self was seeking? I feel compelled to give the next generation a bit of a shortcut to ‘wisdom,’ to prepare them to face rougher seas ahead. We need to embrace an inclusive identity as one people, to have empathy, to be primed to cooperate and care for each other. One lyric from my song “Best Me” describes the heart of my project, a mindset I endeavor to spread: I want to be the best me I can be – so I can be the best help I can be!

I work in multiple disciplines, a serendipitous result of my non-linear journey! My formal studies were in music and psychology. I have always written poetry. These three ingredients cook into songs. I am self-taught in visual arts and I am delighted when kids enjoy my creations at work such as craft templates or habitat murals in our early childhood classroom. I love paint, but in recent years I have taken to digital wizardry to bring my various projects to life: a racial peace graphic design small business; audio recording, novice editing and producing; video recording and editing; and even a bit of 3D animation. I digitally illustrated (and authored) two nature-based children’s books but have not yet sought publication because my attention abruptly turned to my songwriting project when I was furloughed during Covid.

And of course, my work with children informs my creations!  I have worked as an environmental educator at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes for 16 years. I have learned how to communicate with children from a wide range of ages and from a variety of backgrounds. The kids have taught me how to glow with positivity. And they show me how eager they are to reciprocate once the door is open. I am grateful to have developed the ability to read the room, to engage and adjust and connect. I can’t wait to see how this experience enables me to connect while I’m singing to an audience.